Editorial: Better uses for bonuses

VA shouldn't reward failings

Given the shoddy state of care for injured veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, it is hard to justify hefty bonuses for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs officials.

Questions are rightly being raised by Congress.

How could senior VA officials, who, when crafting the agency's budget, so badly miscalculate to the tune of $1 billion the costs of caring for injured veterans? Under the circumstances, bonuses of up to $33,000 are an outrage.

Couldn't the millions in bonus money be better spent providing medical care for veterans, to improve care facilities for our brave troops or to reduce the severe backlog of disability claims?

The bonus packages were revealed by The Associated Press, which obtained a list detailing the more than $3.8 million in bonuses paid out in 2006. According to the AP, the 226 bonus checks were given out shortly after the budget foul-up came to light and amid complaints about the quality of care being provided by the VA.

The best hope for concrete answers and action must come from Congress. Legislation is pending in the House that would freeze future bonuses until the VA significantly reduces its backlog of more than 600,000 disability claims. Congress should back it.

In the meantime, House members have asked VA chief James Nicholson to explain why senior officials tied to the budget foul-up were rewarded for their poor performance.

"These reports point to an apparent gross injustice at the VA that we have a responsibility to investigate," said Rep. Harry Mitchell, D-Ariz., adding, "the VA should not be handing out the most lucrative bonuses in government as veterans are waiting months and months to see a doctor."

A VA spokesman has defended the bonuses as necessary to retain hard-working officials. Nonsense. Taxpayers can't afford to keep incompetent career public servants on the job. It makes no sense. Instead of being rewarded, they should be out looking for new jobs.

It is inexcusable for those charged with caring for our troops to disregard that sacred duty.